"To be Dakota means to walk in peace and harmony with every living thing. That is our way."

On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota leaders of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, were hung in the largest mass execution in U.S. history. In May 2005, Jim Miller, a Dakota spiritual leader, had a dream of riding across the great South Dakota plains to Minnesota and watching 38 of his ancestors being hanged. In December 2008, Silas Hagerty and members of Smooth Feather Productions filmed this 330 mile ride of healing and reconciliation from Lower Brule, South Dakota to arrive at Mankato, Minnesota on the anniversary of the execution. Everyone, throughout the 6 years of the making of this 1 hour, 18 minute documentary film, provided their services as a gift to the project. The screening and distribution of "Dakota 38" is offered as a gift to everyone.

Debbie

I got an email with several links & the link to this movie was one. I watched because I wanted to learn about our country's history. I am 56 years old and until today had never heard of the Dakota 38. It hurts me to think that anyone could do this to another living being. Thank you so much for sharing your stories & I hope that in some way your stories will provide healing for all people and the land we inhabit.
Love & Peace to all.

Avivit Dimor

ALl of you people are awesome! I am so happy you choose to go toward a wonderful path. And please remember, some of us may have white skin or black or yellow but I had more than one life as an american indian for certain and my Heart has always been Home with you all. I've cried so much remembering what I experienced in prior lives with my tribe and now when I watch you i miss you all. I love in Israel now...was born here this time...yet please do not judge by an outer skin...we are all ONE.....I know you more than anyone else know it! ALl my Blessings and Love. You all are never alone!!!!

Rick Herranz SR.

Hello friends What inspired me was the statement, "To be Dakota means to walk in peace and harmony with every living thing. That is our way" To see the UNITY and HARMONY among these SPIRITUAL LEADERS inspires me. I wish the same would be true for the CHRISIAN COMMUNITY AND THE SO CALLED "BODY OF CHRIST" with in the American culture. The Body of Christ is has much DISUNITY and DISHARMONY within the so called Christian church. Why is there so much hatred ? We ALL must UNIFY IN OUR DIVERSITY as Human beings. We must pull together as one human family so we can survive and stop destroying each other. There is real SPIRITUAL STRENGTH in real LOVE, THERE IS ONLY SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS in REVENGE and hatred.

victoria

I am a 16 year old on State Wide Native Youth Council and I am one out of four Representative to my rez. We watched this Video at our first meeting. I tell you it brought tears to my eyes.. and im not even dakota..im ojibwe..it made me cry..

Valerie

For my Freshmen English class I watched this Documentary and am writing a review on it. I was very happy that I could choose this one as it is very inspiring and sad.
My great grand father was full Choctaw and I have always learned to love and respect the Native Americans. I wish more kids would watch it to learn about the atrocities that the U.S government did to them. It was truly a horrible part in our history that cannot be forgotten.

wea-wacipi

i'm a young girl that comes from the dakota souix tribe. i have learned lots from my pple whn i vistit shakopee,MN every year i feel great to be this young girl who wnts to knw the ways of this dakota souix life and tht whn my mother first told me about wht happened to the chief's our land was taken whn i started learning more i knw tht i came from a tribe tht i love tht's history and i have cried many times hereing these story's. my mother and my uncle tht i call my dad, they tell me dnt cry there in a great place there's no need to cry there always wth u and i will be there as well and tht thy love me. so does my grandmai now knw tht since i'm a young tht is growing to be a women tht i need to be strong and pray.and i love my culture and now i'm hoping tht ill be able to ride on a horse this year and ride wth the memories of our chief's the 38 plus two tht were hanged and tht now i'am fluent in speaking in dakota souix i teach my older cousin tht is 15 and im 13 and i also teach my other family members how to speak dakota. i've learned to speak fluently by the elders speaking to me in souix which i couldn't understand but now i can.so now whn the elders speak to my family member tht doesn't knw souix i have to be a translater for thm but i've been told tht i should keep doing wht i do to make my ansecters proud and happy and i'am thankful to this dakota souix young girl i'am today

Thomas Machuca

I'm a Kiowa Apache and my grandfather Machuca had a very dislike for the white man because the way they treated him and my grandmother now after viewing this I understand. What get me the most is what President Abraham Lincoln order's,why was this never told to us."?

Gaby Velarde

You always have a lot of information and news about the States, but so poorly about their indigenous people. This documental encourages people to see, remember and forgive. This experience can also be applied to other necesary healings on so many indigenous atrocities comitted around the world. You all are people with a huge heart and I am so thankful for having the oportunity to see this video

Kiera Decker

It's inspiring. It teaches one to respect one another and differences. Tells a heritage of a forgiving people, and ways to walk amongst our ancestos with dignity and pride.

liberty

The courage to present this history to the world... thank you

Carol Mattern

It is a myth that we should only look to the future. We cannot face the future because it isn't here yet, and we don't know what it will bring... Instead we need to face the past, because that how we learn what needs to happen in the future. And it tells us what is true. It is only in this way that we can face today.

Kathie

My family originated at Rose Bud. Like most hybrids learning about a part of my heritage has been very important to me. Not only did I learn about the 38+2 I also heard a very important message. Forgiveness and gratitude are the gateways to moving forward positively. Taking a great truth on the path that I walk, and to honor those who have come before me. Thank you for this journey.

Deer Foot

This movie showed with openness the power of truth.
It is an honor to witness the ride and the truth of those who were a part of the ride (both in body and in spirit).
Each one of us can reconcile and make a difference (both within ourselves and with those in our life).
Allow the love to move in all seven directions, forward.
A link to assist with more reconciliation http://declarationofcommitment.com/

Magnadude

I hope that very soon, a time comes when we grow up and beyond identifying ourselves as separate races and begin to understand that there is, and has always been, only one race on Earth. The atrocities committed by people have nothing to do with race, but has everything to do with the character and the choices of each individual. We are all one and the same, all connected.

DJ Starr

Wow - coming from Colorado - Native history and culture is everywhere from the names of our counties to the rivers to the jewelry we wear and the music we hear. It was beautiful to see such an embracing and honoring of a sad time in our history and to see it tied to the angst and sadness we all still carry as human BEings. War, atrocities, racism - it is time for us to all see that we are ONE and to forgive and see ourselves in each other. To the 38+2, and to all those who have lived and died on this amazing planet - I just want you to know that I love you! Namaste.

May Amundsdatter

*God bless you all* I am so honored to see this and I have shared this beautiful video with this grusome truth from the pass* I Bless you all as a nation of Mother Earth and I really hope that you get Peace, Love and Compassion and Healing* And one of finest people ever *

Linda Young

The courage, the honesty, the willingness to reconcile. None of those are easy. In fact, I think they are the most difficult to really live. It has quieted all the noises in my head. Wopida!!

Jeffrey Farrar Dean

I can't really put into words how this film made me feel. This movie was put together with Love and Caring for eachother.

brightshining star woman

i always cry with regret that we did not learn share and respect the indians ways ....they are very respectful of God and his creation andif we had of come together look at all the good we could have shared and how happy our creator would be .....

Chuck

I am filled with tears and grief for a people that have had such abuse. We need to be careful that this does not happen again to any race or religion in our country.

adjorday

It is time to wake up to the hurt and harm that we as humans have done to our selfs
out of fear and disrespect of anothers way of seening and living in our world
I'm gratful and blessed to see my brothersand sister reminding me of the need to love
one another for we are all equal in spirit thank you

Ed

I can feel the sadness, the positive, the determination, the guilt,But primarily
the cruelty of mans inhumanity to man when all are one.These people are bigger than
life and the defeaters of evil . May God bless their lives here or after and I hurt
for them.Lord forgive us all.

Lynn Linderman

The egregious and heinous actions by the United States Government is Genocide....My heart cries for the Spirituality of the Native Americans and their Ancestors..who only lived in Peace and Harmony with Mother Earth~ may we all gain some measure of understanding and compassion for these brave warriors...Wascichu means; "He who takes the Fat"~ Man's greed and inhumanity to Man~ When will we ever learn......May our future generations foster understanding and connect with their hearts~

Sethi

Thank you , the beautiful truth of reconciliation , healing and compassion . Blessings to all all who made it possible and participated in it . Time to move on . Love you all .

Joan Breit

Dakota 38 touch my heart and made me cry for the grave injustices by the U.S. government to the natives
who so respected and loved the earth and all creation and how these injustices continue throughout the planet. May the hearts of all peoples be opened to compassion and love and forgiveness.

Ad

Inspiring, amazing. Must sharing with others

Bill

Reconciliation, the service that horses have played in our lives, horses exemplify how we should be to our brothers and sisters. We are all on a ride to Mankato. Wopida.

stella rvyas

In India we beleive in releasing the soul, when sad souls are released by our concious efforts and hurt is healed through,reconcillation like the one done in dakota 38, peace and prosperity will descent on this mother earth, with everyone trying to heal each other by walking or reaching through that extra mile,metermorphically.peace will prevail.i liked the video a great effort really need courage.stella vyas

tree

I've learned many things from this production~ I hope this reaches classrooms so that our children will have a better and more truthful understanding of our country. I also believe that it will show our children how to forgive, and move on~ Thanks to all that were involved in such a worthy project~

Marilyn

I have been to Dakota before so it caught my attention .

Josh

This film elicited all types of emotion from me; anger, sadness, joy, but most of all hope. Hope that all people can someday forgive the past and live in peace and harmony with one another. It's obvious to me the journey was difficult and took dedication and perseverance. They could not sit and wait for healing to take place. They had to initiate it and ride 330 miles in snow and wind and cold for their reconciliation. Does this change the past? Does it change the world? For those who participated and those they encountered along the way, Yes! I hope some day that all people know that the creator has made us as many different types so that we may know and understand one another, and be enriched and fulfilled for that.

Olive

It is the path that many were succumbed to because of greed. May we not follow the destructive path. Many blessings to those who are willing to break that cycle of tears.

JB Slear

May the words from this video touch every American of every color and know that there is love in reconciliation ..... May the Dakota 38 lesson live forever in our children's heart

debbie moore

This film should be part of American History education in our schools. It is admirable that the Dakota are willing to be the first to reach out for reconciliation & healing given all the atrocities they've endured. There is still much that needs to be done to right the injustices that native americans are continuing to be subjected to by this nations government. One glaring example of this is the continued incarceration of Leonard Peltier, now serving more than 37 years in prison. This film needs to be shared by as many as possible to bring awareness to those who don't know of these things. Then, with this knowledge there needs to be effort & action to get involved & make sure the one's with the power to change these circumstances know that it's the will of the people & the right thing to do. Looking back on these things is useful for it motivates us to then look forward to see how we can make it right for the one's who are here now, & generations to come after us. Thank you Jim Miller, for sharing your dream with us! And thank you to Silas Hagerty & the members of Smooth Feather Productions for making this incredible film!

Loretta Teiwes

I believe that our United States of America could use one more ambassador. An Ambassador of Peace from the United States to the United States. Ambassador Jim Miller! I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to view this film. May God our holy spiritual guide continue to guide the Dakota people in their quest for reconciliation. Thank you. Loretta Teiwes

suzanne toro

I thank you from the bottom of my heart...as GREAT spirit has guided me back to my ancient tribe and calls me to return to the black hills some day...often that vision brings me great tears in my heart to walk back there...yet meeting you and all my other brothers and sisters from our sacred land...I thank you for giving me courage to do so...may we all reconcile that which troubles our heart and release the disEASE...finding peace and harmony with every living thing...that is my vision for SELF...in the practice of peace everyday..DEEP bow SILAS

Ron Pinard

This film is very inspiring but also sad. As humans we consider ourselfs the most interlectural creature on earth but yet so stupid and narrow minded.

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